Humanitarian Crisis Still Looms
Oxfam UK | 17.11.2001 11:45
Despite recent changes in Afghanistan, a humanitarian crisis still looms large over much of the country, Oxfam said today.
Normally at this time of year Oxfam would soon be stopping work in some parts of Afghanistan because of snow, having given people enough food to see them through the winter. This year, these people have no food aid and many are about to be cut off by snow.
John Fairhurst, Afghanistan Country Director said: 'The recent events in Afghanistan have changed the humanitarian picture, in some places for the better but in other places for the worse. There is still a lot of fighting, food truckers are fearful about driving into an unknown situation and aid routes have been turned upside down.'
The reports Oxfam is getting from the West and the North West of the country suggest that increasing insecurity and fear of lawlessness are making it very difficult to get food to people.
In parts of Zabul, people have been relying on crickets and grubs as their main source of food since August. Retreating Taliban and continued fighting around Kandahar are creating a climate of fear for food truckers and aid workers. In Jawand there have been reports of people dying because of lack of food and even wild plants which people eat when they are desperate are becoming scarce.
Three quarters of the trucking routes into Afghanistan are currently suspended. Given this, and the confused security picture in many parts of the country, airdrops of aid planned by the World Food Programme must start happening immediately, to places which are cut off by snow or fighting.
In other areas, conditions are allowing aid workers to get on with the job. In Yakawlang (Hazarajat) for the first time this year we are now able to distribute food off the back of trucks to 20,000 people.
There is also a new challenge for aid agencies. Since the Taliban fell in northern Afghanistan, people who fled their homes because of drought and fighting have started to return. Oxfam will be gearing up for their return with a new £300,000 programme, providing these people with fuel, warm clothing, blankets and food to help them through the winter.
ENDS
For more information, please call Alison Woodhead in the UK on 00 44 1865 312498.
John Fairhurst, Afghanistan Country Director said: 'The recent events in Afghanistan have changed the humanitarian picture, in some places for the better but in other places for the worse. There is still a lot of fighting, food truckers are fearful about driving into an unknown situation and aid routes have been turned upside down.'
The reports Oxfam is getting from the West and the North West of the country suggest that increasing insecurity and fear of lawlessness are making it very difficult to get food to people.
In parts of Zabul, people have been relying on crickets and grubs as their main source of food since August. Retreating Taliban and continued fighting around Kandahar are creating a climate of fear for food truckers and aid workers. In Jawand there have been reports of people dying because of lack of food and even wild plants which people eat when they are desperate are becoming scarce.
Three quarters of the trucking routes into Afghanistan are currently suspended. Given this, and the confused security picture in many parts of the country, airdrops of aid planned by the World Food Programme must start happening immediately, to places which are cut off by snow or fighting.
In other areas, conditions are allowing aid workers to get on with the job. In Yakawlang (Hazarajat) for the first time this year we are now able to distribute food off the back of trucks to 20,000 people.
There is also a new challenge for aid agencies. Since the Taliban fell in northern Afghanistan, people who fled their homes because of drought and fighting have started to return. Oxfam will be gearing up for their return with a new £300,000 programme, providing these people with fuel, warm clothing, blankets and food to help them through the winter.
ENDS
For more information, please call Alison Woodhead in the UK on 00 44 1865 312498.
Oxfam UK
Homepage:
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/whatnew/press/afghan5.htm
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